In an ideal world, I would imagine Zen Anarchy without religion. Where humanities sole devotion is to each other, in improving life, in assisting others, and treating every individual on earth like they were their own separate divine entity.

Zen Anarchy is tolerant.

It tolerates race, sex, preference, interests and yes, even religion. What Zen Anarchy does not tolerate is persecution, seclusion or the attempt at creating a governing or authoritarian body.

It does not tolerate hate or prejudice.

Religion is the poster child for persecution and intolerance, for hate.

Claim what you will about a forgiving god, about all men and women being accepted into gods arms (Except gays, women who undergo abortions, people of other religions, people who “sin”, people who don’t follow the word of god, atheists, agnostics etc, etc.).

“My religion is kindness”-Dalai Lama

So it should be. So it should be for all. What right does a church who claims the word of god have to define who and who does not slip into paradise? Why have we entitled this group to a divine right to forgive? It is in all men and women’s hearts- the ability to forgive.

I am agnostic, personally. However I will happily hear of a christians viewpoints so long as they do not try to convert me into their belief system. I will also more than happily listen to a catholics viewpoints, or a buddhist and so on and so forth. However, I refute preaching and will refuse to listen should the individual stop conversing and start attempting to convert.

In Zen Anarchy religious meeting places will exist and will be held regularly, I’m sure. However these religious meeting places will share the building with each other. Zen Anarchists are tolerant beyond all else. These buildings will have separate wings wherein hundreds can be seated. These buildings are open to all, for any to come and listen to religious types speak. However, religious speakers will be offered no reverence. No speaker is more important than their listeners. No gold trimmed buildings, no ornate wooden chairs, no silk robed priests with bowls of wine that cost thousands.

Discussing your religion in the community is acceptable; threatening members of the community that do not become initiated into the flock is unacceptable. Intolerance of other individuals is unacceptable. This cannot and should not be tolerated.

In Zen Anarchy it does not matter if you are black, white, yellow, female, male, buddhist, christian, muslim. As long as you treat all men and women with respect, you will be accepted. Attempts at establishing an “order” should be refuted by the people and recognised as an attempt to establish an authoritarian body.

Religion is where Zen Anarchy hits its first major snag.

Zen Anarchy is intolerant of intolerance and inequality. Thus Zen Anarchy cannot tolerate some religions views that women are lower than men, that women should have to hide themselves, that women must bend to a mans will. It cannot tolerate that one race is above another, that one wrong decision can condemn you to an eternity of damnation. These religions will be stamped out along with authoritarian bodies. These religions promote the inequality that is abundant in our world.

This type of belief system is outdated, it is cruel and it is obsolete. Many women hold many positions across a wide variety of fields in today’s world. The belief that women are lesser than men is an archaic and ridiculous notion. Many people of different race and beliefs hold varying degrees of position and power across the world.

Marriage is acceptable and promoted across all races, sexual preference and religion. Homosexual men and women should thrive as wonderfully as a heterosexual couple, interracial couples, in a Zen Anarchy society have nothing to fear and people of different belief systems should happily enter into marriage without persecution from their family or friends.

Religion is a difficult topic, but one that must be addressed.

There is no way to govern religion when there are no authoritarian bodies. So the people must govern themselves. Allow beliefs, disallow intolerance and fear mongering. You will be accepted into paradise after life no matter who or what you are, so long as you treat your fellow-man and woman with respect, love, kindness and strive for harmony not just in yourself, but in the world.

In Zen Anarchy religion will not ask for money, the world helps its own people. In Zen Anarchy intolerance of another religion, person or belief is unacceptable. In Zen Anarchy religion has no say in World Matters- god does not define how we help our fellow-man, we define how pure of heart we are in giving ourselves selflessly to our global community. We let no man sit in clouds telling us what is right and wrong, we are taught respect, judgement and selflessness from birth.

The world, without money, without economy will be so much more of a selfless place that religion will be near irrelevant- That kindness should and will be done on a daily basis.

Money is evil and corruption, as preached by the church….Yet churches ask you, every week-week after week- for donations.

This is the hypocrisy evident in a religion that preaches intolerance.

Let the world learn to love on its own. Give it the legs to stand and it shall walk.

In conclusion; Let all religions live in harmony in the world, so long as harmony is what they seek to cause, not separation and elitism, nor segregation and authority.